Genesis 45:15

In the East, a kiss is a sign of forgiveness. When these sons of Jacob felt Joseph's kiss on their cheeks, each one knew in his heart that he was forgiven. And the result is communion. "After that his brothers talked with him." How beautiful! And do you, forgiven soul, talk much with Jesus?

His love cannot endure any distance; He wants His loved ones near to Him. The story of Joseph and his brothers illustrates it. He said to his brothers, "Come near to me." In the same way the Lord stretches out His hands to us as His brothers. He says, "Come near to Me." When they came near, Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them. He had no favourites. He treated them all alike.

The brothers did not work out who he was by any insight or cleverness of their own. They knew him only because Joseph revealed himself to them. At His second coming Christ will appear in His glory. Then Israel will recognize Him and cry, "My God, we know you" (Hosea 8:2). And Joseph revealed himself out of love for them. That love was so real that he could not hold back any longer, and it moved him to tears.

Fear is gone, grief is eased, cares are banished. Now love can flow without hindrance — "He kissed all his brothers"; "and after that his brothers talked with him" (v. 15). Their eyes have seen his glories. His gracious words have delighted their ears. His love has warmed their hearts. And in that warmth of love they are free to talk with him. No shadow remains to hinder the communion of love between Joseph and his brothers. Perfect love casts out fear. The story also tells us the way Christ takes with us: He teaches us the evil of our hearts, and then dispels all fear by making Himself known in the love of His heart.

We read in the Psalms, "Let us talk of all His wondrous works." And that is indeed a privilege, a privilege within the reach of all who know Him. Notice that it does not say, "Let us preach." If it did, we might feel the call was beyond us. But it says let us talk — talk about Him, as a child talks of his father, saying to his playmates, "I wish you knew my father, he is the best in all the world." Yet here it is not talking about Him, but talking with Him. He appreciates our talk about Him; but if we only talk about Him and neglect to talk with Him, we rob Him of what His love prizes so highly.

Joseph's love has brought his brothers into sweet communion with himself. Now we are to learn that the intimacies of love prepare for the service of love. Those whom Joseph has won for himself he will enlist in his service. His brothers shall become his witnesses.

How intensely interesting it becomes to the heart when seen to be a prophetic picture of the repentance of the future Jewish remnant and their once despised and rejected Messiah. This would be the primary application of the narrative. But, I believe, a secondary application may be made of it. It is not merely typical; it is illustrative as well.

Here we have the full and unhindered expression of Joseph's love. In response, the repentance of his brothers reached its proper depth. So it will be in the coming time. God's earlier dealings with the children of Israel will produce a certain measure of conviction in their hearts. But the mourning comes when, according to Zechariah 12:10, "they look on me, on him whom they have pierced." Then "they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child."